Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-17

C6SCIudy dAu ludu0 u UuOIOUku 0AhuulUd'
ton of the premises, under the guidance OF
Mr.. Thompson, superintendent of the
works, and Mr.. Macarthur, the foreman. It
was Mr.. Macarthur who wal interviewed by
the committee when they visited the works.
The first place visited was the locality oil
the 'much quoted" living spring, on the
north side of the works. The reporter was
informed by the above gentlemen that at
one time the creek a close to the works
and there were a number OF springs along
the bank q few feet above the level OF the
creek. A slight amount of excavation was
done about n OF the springs and the
water gushed out with considerable force.
It was such delicious water that many peo-
pie we're in the habit of going down from
Butte to drink it until the springs were
covered with the Stag thrown out OF the
works. There was
NO DETERIORATION
in the water at any time, but as the springs
have for many months been covered by ten
to fifteen feet of Stag, they are of course
abandoned. The ground was necessary to
the company for dump, and as there was
plenty OF water to be had by digging any
where in the neighborhood, no effort was
made to rave the springs. The next point
visited was the well supplying process
water to the works. 1t is close to the south
side of the main building, and within thirty
feet of a trench, into which the copper
waste is allowed to flow. 1t was never in
tended to supply drinking water, being 90
close to the copper waste, and nothing but
loose material between. In fact there is
nothing but gravel. Stag and other loose
material between that we'll and the main
Stag Dump, all the ground there being grad
ed up with waste material. This process
well was the only one the Health Commit
tee paid any attention to. Tn water in it
had been used by the men to some extent,
but is now used only in the works, q well
Just across the track supplying
ABUNDANCE OF PURE WATER
for drinking purposes. Mr.. McArthurinvited
the committee to visit the latter we'll and
those at the boarding houses, but they
refused to do 80, and did not spend more
than two or three minutes in the neighbour
hood. The well supplying the drinking
| water to the works is an open one, Twelve
feet deep, and the water is hoisted IN a
bucket. 1t is less than $50 feet from the
process we'll, and the water is the same
pure, clear fluid that is supplied at the
water works. The boarding houses were
| next visited. In the kitchen Of each is a
nump. set in a well eleven feet deep. The
water ia a clear, sparkling fluid, and tastes
as well as it looks. Mr.. Setter, proprietor
| of the boarding houses, says they nave
had from go to so boarders all the time,
for the last three years. They have al
WAYS used the water freely, and there has
NEVER BEEN A CASE
of fever or any form OF malarlal disease
among the men in that time. Mrs. Seller
and all the men who nave stayed about the
works and theb oarding houses c~orroborate
this statement. Mr.. McArthur's house,
directly east OF the boarding houses, was
next visited. His well is twelve feet deep
and supplies the same pure, crystalline
huid as the others. MIR. Thompson says
he has been drinking the water from tn1s
well for eighteen months and couidnt wisn
for O. more delicious or heaith1ul lulu
Messrs. Macarthur and Siefer are very indlg
nant With the Health Committee for max
inc the assertions they did about these
wells after refusing to spend q minute ex
aiming them. All the wells are sum-
through a layer of clay to the water-bear'ns
vein OF quicksand, and
THERE IS NO PEAT
near any of them. The clay runs from Thu
surface to the q%uicksand, andthe clay usee
IN the Butte Reduction works is dug iron
!, tho surfa:e near the open well where tn
} mon oct, their drinking water, The onl!
neat mentioned to the communicates o.
Mr.. Macarthur, who told them tnere was .
LIND of peat on the surface at the lVln
anrinps. such as common to the DanKs o
m%ountain water courses. He also told Tn
Committee that in digging a well the ella!
= hat was tramped up with the water DC
70 me about the consistency OF mortar an
the committee in their report gave the wei,
at the boarding-houses the beneng OF p po
neat and mortar. 1t is thus eViuen1 Ina
II The report of the committee with regar
: to the wells about the reouc.io
8 FORKS was az as the rest OF l,
o nf the four wells in that n~eigh6orhooo
which have so long supplied pure water :
the employees ard others there, they Oh
W" onproach one-refused to do so. !
Ho Their report on them was erroneou
: in every particular. ever more 80 .na a
MONT have been expected from tnelr +
a fnsal to investigate what it was tneir du'
4 ~ Do. II is stra nge that q COMMITTEES ma
mo time at their disposal could not nay
, nrsi in more than two minutes examin1,
iInto suoh an Important matter, these wei
ho;uo on the direct slope from the gray
upeend md much pearer to it thai the pun
D. Use ia. The statements made mere ca
g, not he refuted. The wells IN question q
e n tn the examination OF all VINO ca,
K ~ ;nsnect them, and VI u
l. wo+er can be had for analysis.